Ball continues to get criticism about speakers

State Sen. Greg Ball, R-Patterson, who chairs the Senate Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Committee, is continuing to receive criticism over the speakers who will be part of his hearing in New York City Friday that will discuss the city and state’s preparedness for another attack almost 10 years after 9/11.

First, some Senate Democrats weighed in about the committee inviting the controversial Nonie Darwish, director of Former Muslims United, to testify Friday, and Frank Gaffney, head of the conservative Center for Security Policy, who will speak at a later hearing in Albany. Now, a coalition of community and religious groups have added their opinions to the debate, saying they will “challenge (the) shocking anti-Islam and anti-immigrant bias inserted into a New York State Senate Committee hearing called by Senator Greg Ball this week.”

They plan to hold a press conference today on the steps of City Hall in Manhattan. They’ve also written a letter to Ball and the committee, which is below.